Motor vehicles may include hand levers that operate braking or gear shifting mechanisms. For example, standard motorcycle design includes a right-hand brake lever, a right-foot brake pedal, and a left-hand clutch lever. The right-hand lever engages a braking mechanism on the front wheel, and the foot pedal engages a braking mechanism on the rear wheel. The levers are typically mounted on flanges of the handlebar adjacent to the handgrips. Squeezing the right-hand lever applies a braking force. Releasing the lever disengages the braking force. Similarly, squeezing the clutch lever engages the clutch. Depression and release of the foot pedal engages and disengages the rear brake, respectively.
An operator of a motorcycle may come to a stop and wish to place both feet on the ground for stability, especially when a passenger is aboard. Placing both feet on the ground will necessarily disengage the foot brake pedal. The operator must then continue to squeeze the right-hand brake lever or the motorcycle could roll freely. At the same time, the operator must squeeze the left-hand lever to engage the clutch so that the engine does not stall while in a driving gear.
While stopped, the operator would often like to have both feet on the ground and at least one free hand. The operator could place the motorcycle in neutral and release the left-hand grip while keeping the right-hand brake lever engaged. While this technique advantageously maintains braking during the stop, it forces the operator to shift the motorcycle out of neutral and back into a driving gear before moving forward. Alternatively, the operator could keep the motorcycle in gear, engage the left-hand clutch lever, and release the right hand lever. Disadvantageously, the motorcycle is left without a brake force and is free to roll. This alternative is not tenable on an incline.
A need exists for a device that permits the operator of a stopped motorcycle to place both feet on the ground for stability and have at least one free hand while maintaining braking force and keeping the motorcycle in gear. The device could be used to lock either the right-hand braking lever or the left-hand clutch lever. Advantageously, the mechanism would be easy to engage and disengage, especially when riding gloves hinder the dexterity of an operator.